A Lotta Locomotion
"A Lotta Locomotion" is a song performed in various productions of Starlight Express ''between 1984 and 2013. This is the original song that introduces the Coaches to the audience. Context Control sends Rusty to fetch the coaches, ready for the start of the race. The pretty new observation car, Pearl, has tentatively agreed to race with him, but the other coaches talk her out of partnering with a loser. Pearl needs more from a partner, and 'Locomotion both introduces the individual coaches and talks about what they're looking for. History Virtually every production has tweaked this number in one way or another, from cutting Pearl altogether, to giving Pearl far more solo time than any of the other coaches. Each alteration has served to shorten the original number. The original 1984 London production gave each coach equal time in the spotlight, with a verse each to introduce themselves. The 1987 New York production removed Pearl from this number, having only the other three Coaches describe themselves with a verse each. The subsequent 1989 US Tour reincorporated Pearl, but rather than restore her solo verse, she shared a verse with Dinah, with Buffy keeping the final verse, as she did on Broadway. When the show opened in Las Vegas in 1993, the number was rewritten, giving the coaches a snappy introduction to replace "Rusty Can't Be Serious", and a shorter, two-verse version of 'Locomotion. The first verse had one line for each coach to introduce themselves, and the second verse was Pearl's full verse, not previously used in an American production. the 1987 Japan/Australia Tour production took less inspiration from Broadway for this number, and introduced the format also used in Germany, with Buffy and Dinah, both "food cars", sharing a verse and Ashley and Pearl having full introductions. When ''Starlight Express was revised in London in 1992 the song was shortened. Buffy's verses were mixed with Ashley's, and Ashley's extra interruption at the end was cut. This version established a hierarchy, with Pearl and Dinah as principal characters and Ashley and Buffy as secondaries. 'A Whole Lotta Locomotion' and 'I Got Me' The 2003 US Tour replaced "A Lotta Locomotion" with a new song, "Whole Lotta Locomotion". This song gives only brief introductions to the coaches then tells of the coaches's wanting to 'couple up' with an engine. In 2013, "Ne Lok mit Locomotion" was cut from the German production in Bochum and changed to "Nie Genug", the German translation of "A Whole Lotta Locomotion". "A Whole Lotta Locomotion" was in turn replaced by a newer song, "I Got Me", beginning with the 2017 workshop. 'Lyrics' '1984 London Version' 1987 Broadway Concept Album Version '1987 Broadway Version' In the Broadway production, Pearl left with Rusty to get cleaned up and doesn't return until "Freight", thus missing her role in "A Lotta Locomotion" entirely. Due to this, Buffy took her place with Buffy's lines sung to the melody usually given to Pearl. '1987 Japan/Australia Tour' Direct English version of the better known German arrangement. 1988 Bochum Version The Bochum production used a direct translation of the Japan/Australia version, with the two food cars, Buffy and Dinah, sharing a verse. Slight lyric changes were made to Dinah and Pearl's verses, with Pearl completing her own verse without interjection from the other coaches. '1989 US Tour' Combining Dinah and Pearl for one verse, allowing Buffy to take the final verse as in the Broadway production. 1992 Revised London Version Another re-working, from the original London version with 4 verses, giving priority to Dinah and Pearl over Buffy and Ashley. '1993 Las Vegas Version' "Rusty Can't Be Serious" Vegas alternative All four Coaches shared the first verse, and Pearl also had her solo verse. Coaches Vegas promo.jpg| Category:Songs Category:Deleted songs